Namibia; Skeleton Coast, Kaokoland, Etosha

It is almost, but not quite yet, the rainy season in the North-central part of Namibia, it is scorchingly hot without a drop of rain.

From Swakopmund, a germanlike town with beaches and apfel strudel bakeries, we followed the Skeleton coast for 200 km. An incredible (again very empty) coastal landscape with nothing but rocks, sand and a lot of wind.

The temperature is lower at the coast but turning to the east, away from the coast, the temperature rises very fast. It is a beautiful day: passing the barren coastline of the Skeleton coast, ending our day driving through the Namibian hills spotting giraffes and camping underneath palmtrees looking upon a strolling elephant.

The days fill up quite easily: making breakfast, preparing the car, Sander doing some maintenance – Wikke making coffee and doing the dishes J, driving the reasonable roads (up to now), stopping to make ourselves another cup of coffee or some noodles and on to the next campsite. In between we take the time to explore the area we are visiting which is only possible in the morning now, as there is no shade anywhere. With the sun almost 90 degrees up in the sky the tree-shade only provides room for one or two people; so nearly every big tree in and around villages is occupied with men sitting there waiting for the seasons to change…

In the North we visited the Epupa falls on the Angolan border, beautiful rock formations shaped by millions of years water-wear and dotted with numerous boabab trees. Unfortunately we didn’t spot a crocodile which there should be numerous and are not dangerous if you are not in the water.

In this area we visited the Himba, next to the large population of Herero, one of the indigenous people in Namibia. Most of them live in the North in Kaokoland (bordering Angola). In this rough and dry area (many roads only passable by 4x4 or donkey-car), there are thousands of small family villages still living the traditional way.

A few facts to give an idea; Himbas pay a lot of attention to their looks; they wear self-made jewelry and only very scarse clothing. Like many people in the world at the age of 6 a young Himba man is excluded from a tiny skinny part of his body (circumcision is the right technical verb fort this manoeuvre; clearly without sedation). At the age of 11 a young woman is separated from her four lower front teeth (using stones); this will let them look like cows, which is the main purpose. Two times a day the women cover their skin with a mixture of herbs and mud (an intense smell you notice quickly when entering an area where Himbas are present), thick layers that are removed each evening with a porridge substance. This is the only “wash” the Himba gets, they hate to have their skin touching water.

On our way East we stay in Kamanjab at a place called Oppie Koppie, run by Belgians. In this place we had a very good time with a Belgian couple, Michel and Roos,  who had been travelling through the West of Africa for the last three years with an enormous truck. Both our vehicles are having some maintenace here – which Sander is taking care of – while Wikke sits in the shade under a tree… or next to the lovely pool drinking some beers. Great way to pass a day!

In north-eastern Namibia we travel through another wildlife area; Etosha. This actively visited park inhabits large groups of animals you’d expect in Africa, including an elephant not very happy to see us. If an elephant makes a loud sound, flaps his ears and tramps with his feet this means he is not that happy seeing you…. Trust me, even if you are sitting in a car weighing almost 3 tons you still "choose the hare-path" (Dutch saying for darting off...).

Next: into Botswana… !